Monday, March 22, 2010
Jeffrey S. Vitter, a professor of computer science and former provost at Texas A&M University, was named the new KU provost and executive vice chancellor Monday.
“I am very pleased that Jeff Vitter will join KU in this important leadership role,” Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said in a prepared statement. “He brings extensive academic and administrative experience, from faculty member at Brown to department chair at Duke, to dean at Purdue and provost at Texas A&M. He also has an outstanding record as a scholar.”
Vitter will assume the post July 1 and will also hold the title of professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science.
Vitter’s wife, Sharon Weaver Vitter, graduated from the University with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in 1978, prompting the Vitters to frequently visit Kansas.
“We just love coming back here,” Vitter said in a teleconference with reporters Monday. “The people are very pleasant to be around.”
Vitter said one of the greatest challenges he will face at KU is promoting the University nationally and bringing attention to its attributes and accomplishments.
“I think as welcoming as the Midwestern ethic is, it is also one of extreme humility,” Vitter said.
Vitter said the University’s broad spectrum ranging from fine arts and social sciences to physical sciences and professional schools adds to its strength and rich tradition of comprehensive excellence.
Considering the current budget situation and constraints at the University, Vitter expressed the need to find new resources through research opportunities, foundations and agencies, or through fund raising.
“I think there are always opportunities, even in low-budget times, to make the most of what you have,” Vitter said. “We have to make sure that we are using our resources in the most effective way and we have to work hard to raise new resources.”
Despite the state budget crisis, Vitter emphasized the importance of higher education and the University’s role in the economic future of the state and the country.
“I just believe so passionately that education, especially higher education, is so crucial for the future of the state and the country,” he said. “The University has a very important role to play in training our future leaders and I am very excited to be playing a part in that.”
Vitter also discussed his commitment to the chancellor’s priorities and the need for synergy and collaboration among all areas and departments. At Texas A&M, he led the development of a master academic plan and said he learned the importance of communication and transparency in order to build strong links with people on campus.
Vitter said his experiences with KU alumni have illustrated the quality of the University and he is excited to become a part of the campus environment.
“They’re always just ecstatic and all they want to talk about is how much the University meant to them,” he said. “It puts things in perspective and makes you realize how special a place – a university – like KU is.”
— Edited by Anna Archibald
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